VirtualBox 2.1.0 Guest Additions corrupts keyboard settings only to US-keyboard => fixed in SVN

[grof]

Hi, I have installed VirtualBox 2.1.0 on Windows XP SP3 host and Ubuntu 8.10 as guest.

Keyboard (non-US) is working OK on host and on guest before upgrading to 2.1.0 from 2.0.6 version. But after installing Guest Additions keyboard is working properly on host, but on Ubuntu US-keyboard is working despite my local language keyboard settings in guest.

I have remove guest additions by using info from this forum: sudo find /etc -name "*vboxadd*" -exec rm {} \; sudo find /etc -name "*vboxvfs*" -exec rm {} \; sudo rm -r /usr/src/vboxadd-* sudo rm -r /usr/src/vboxvfs-* sudo rm /usr/sbin/vboxadd-timesync sudo rm /lib/modules/uname -r/misc/vboxadd.ko sudo rm /lib/modules/uname -r/misc/vboxvfs.ko

and after guest reboot my local language keyboard in guest is working again.

I reinstalled guest additions and US-keyboard reappeared again. So it looks like a bug in guest additions.

Does anyone have the same problem? Is there any work-around? Thanks

[grof]

It looks bug-tracker doesn't support text code formatting, so I posted a post in forum to see correct end of "sudo..." commands. ​http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?t=12351

[Frank Mehnert]

Oh, it does! please use {{{ and }}} to enclose the text statements next time. Or use a list. And there is a Preview button. Please have a look at the Wiki formatting help.

Regarding your problem: We will try to find the reason.

[Martin Heimes]

(EE) Error compiling keymap (server-0)
(EE) XKB: Couldn't compile keymap
(WW) Couldn't load XKB keymap, falling back to pre-XKB keymap

same here with debian lenny x86 host ubuntu 8.10

2.0.6 GA working ok with 2.1.0 host ... no GA after ubuntu kernel update (keymap ok), installed new GA => no more german keymap and xorg error as quoted above

more affected users in ​http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?t=12280

[Martin Heimes]

Replying to martin.heimes:

same here with debian lenny x86 host ubuntu 8.10

should be: debian lenny host - ubuntu 8.10 guest

[grof]

Hi, according to xasx tip from forum ​http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?t=12280 there is a work-around, just install guest additions from older version 2.0.6.
I did the following:

1. I stopped Ubuntu 8.10 guest.
   
2. From Windows XP host browser I have downloaded file ​http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/2.0.6/VBoxGuestAdditions_2.0.6.iso and save it in directory

C:\Program Files\Sun\xVM VirtualBox

3. From VirtualBox GUI I clicked on right site of window to select desired virtual guest (Ubuntu in my case) and from right window I clicked on CD/DVD-ROM icon.
   
4. From Settings window I clicked on folder icon inside "ISO Image File" section.
   
5. New window opens. I have click on VBoxGuestAdditions.iso and click Remove to remove GA 2.0.1 that is not working.
   
6. Clicked on Add toolbar icon and selected VBoxGuestADditions_2.0.6.iso
   
7. Started guest computer
   
8. Open Terminal and installed GA:
   

cd /media/cdrom
sudo ./VirtualBox-2.0.6-39760-Linux_x86.run

9. Rebooted guest:
   

sudo reboot
Problem is solved.
Regards

[Frank Mehnert]

Yes, installing the 2.0.6 additions should help to work around this problem. We are about to fix that problem in the next release.

[eythort]

Same problem here on a WinXp host, Kubuntu 8.10 guest (fully up-to-date). Keymap stuck at the 'us' keymap, preventing me to use the Icelandic 'is' locale as usual. Problem appeared only after installing guest additions 2.10 and disappeared after a 2.06 guest additions rollback. I noticed that the standard syntax for changing the keymap simply did not work. Changing the keymap in the gui keymap settings did not do anything, regardless of the keymap selected. The exact syntax used by the gui to change the keymap - in my case "setxkbmap -model presario -layout is" - just gave an error ("Error loading new keyboard description"~doesn't recognize the layout), explaining why the gui was not able to change the keymap at all. Thus, it looks like the guest additions 2.10 prevents setxkbmap to recognize any of the normal keyboard layouts while this works perfectly in guest additions 2.06.

[m-p{3}]

I add my name to the list of the users having problems.

Host: Windows XP Professional, Keyboard layout: French (Canada) Guest: Ubuntu 8.10, Keyboard Layout: French Canadian

Under the host system, I can use the AltGr key to enter some characters (ie: @, {, }, etc). Under the guest system, the AltGr key seems to have no effect.

Without the VirtualBox Guest Additions tools installed, the key works fine.

[JA]

Installing VBoxGuestAdditions 2.0.6 after 2.1.0 resolved keyboard issue for me. I am looking forward for next release which handles this.

[m-p{3}]

I'll wait until the next VirtualBox release before progressing any further in my testing.

I could install the 2.0.6 GA, but for validation and quality assurance purpose I don't want to get into this.

[Michael Thayer]

Using the 2.0.6 guest additions with 2.1.0 will fix this and should work fine. This issue is fixed in the development (SVN) sources of VirtualBox.